Lock plug



J. SCHWARTZ Feb. 25, 1969 LOCK PLUG Sheet F'iled Oct. 18, 1966 INVENTOR.

JEROME SCHWARTZ ATTORNEY J. SCHWAR''Z Feb. 25, 1969 LOCK PLUG SheetFi1ed Oct. 18, 1966 INVENTOR. JEROME SCHWARTZ ATTORNEY.

6 Claims ABSIRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A lock plug of plastic materialcomprising plural sections in facing relation With each other, theirnonfacing surfaces defining a cylinder, with a dise like face piecefixed to one end of one section concentrc with the cylinder, andinterfitting locating formations on the face piece and another of thesections.

This invention relates generally to tumbler locks, and is especiallyconcerned with improvements in plug constructions for tumbler looks.

It has been found that plastic materials perform admirably in looks, byreason of their corrosion resistance, long life, low cost and security.In attempting to produce a lock plug of plastic, such as nylon, or thelike, considerable diflficulties were encountered in the substitution ofa plastic material for conventional brass and zinc die castings. Forexample, in conventional metal lock plugs, the required drilling anddeburring operations are conveniently and satisfactorily accomplishedquickly and easily. However, the drilling and particularly the deburringof plastic lock plugs of the same general formation as priorconventional metal lock plugs was found to be extremely difficult andtime consuming, and frequently resulted in burrs remaining in the plugto impair operation of the lock. Thus, the inherent advantages ofplastic material could not be achieved in the conventional constructionof lock plug.

Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention toprovide a unique construction of lock plug which is admirably suited forfabrication of plastic material to achieve the low material cost,corrosion resistance, long life and strength of the material,

It is a more particular object of the present invention to provide ahighly improved lock-plug construction which includes a pair of sectionsformed with complementary facing surfaces configured to defineintersecting passageways in their facing relation.

The instant invention further contemplates the provision of a uniquelock-plug construction adapted for use With an improved retainer devicefor pivotally connecting an operating member or bar.

Other objects of the present invention Will become apparent upon readingthe following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings,which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly cnsists in the features of construction,combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which Will beexemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which thescope Will be indicated by the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded, front perspective view, partly in phantom,illustrating a lock plug of the present invention and the associatedparts of a lock;

FIGURE 2 is a rear perspective view of one section of the lock plug ofFIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a rear perspective view of the other section of the lockplug of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of the lock plug of FIG- URE 1 with thesections thereof in facing engagement;

FIGURE 5 is a front end view of the instant lock plug; and

FIGURE 6 is a rear end view of the lock plug.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and specifically t0FIGURES 13, the lock plug includes a pair of sections 10 and 11, eachentirely fabricated of plastic material, such as nylon, as by molding.The sections 10 and 11 are each of generally semicylindricalconfiguration and adapted for facing engagement with each other so thattheir outer or nonfacing surfaces combine to define a cylinder. That is,the outer surface 12 of section 10, and the outer surface 13 of section11, are each generally semicylindrical in configuration.

The inner or facing surface 15 of section 10 is provided along its lowerlongitudinal edge With one or more grooves 16 and 17. The inner orfacing surface 18 of section 11 is similarly formed along its lowerlongitudinal edge with one or more grooves 19, 20 and 21. In theassembled facing condition of sections 10 and 11, the grooves 16 and 17face toward the grooves 19, 20 and 21 and combine therewith to define akeyway for a specifically configured key.

Of course, the grooves 16 and 17 may be considered as defined adjacentto lands or ribs 22 and 23 formed on the inner surface 15 of section 10;and similarly, the grooves 19, 20 and 21 may be considered as formedadjacent to the lands or ribs 24, 25 and 26 on the inner surface 18 ofthe section 11.

The inner surface 15 of section 10 is further formed with a plurality ofgenerally parallel, substantially semicylindrical recesses 30, whichextend transversely of the grooves 16 and 17, opening through the upperside of the section 10. That is, the recesses 30 extend upwardly fromthe upper groove 17 through the upper side of the section 10. Similarly,the section 11 is formed With a plurality of generally semicylindricalrecesses 31 disposed in parallelism With each other and extendingtransverse of the grooves 19, 20 and 21, specifically extending upwardlyfrom the upper groove 21 through the upper side of the section 11.

When the sections 10 and 11 are in their facing relation, the recesses30 and 31 are in respective complementary opposition With each other t0define a plurality of generally cylindrical passageways extending inparallelism with each other and transversely upwardly from the uppergrooves 17 and 21.

Fixedly secured on the front end of section 10, as by integral moldingtherewith, is a generally circular or disclike frontpiece 32. Thefrontpiece 32 is formed with a thru slot 33 communicating with theinterior keyway defined by facing grooves 16, 17, 19, 20 and 21. Thus, akey is insertable inwardly through the slot 33 into the grooves 16, 17,19, 20 and 21, with the teeth of the key engaged in the lower regions ofcomplementarv recesses 30 and 31.

In assembly, the complementary recesses 30 and 31 are provided in theconventional manner with tumbler pins, as at 35, and driver pins 36,both of which are yieldably urged downward by springs 37.

Adjacent to but spaced inward from the rear end of each plug section 10and 11, there is formed on the inner surface thereof a transverselyextending, open-ended groove, as at 38 and 39, respectively. The grooves38 and 39 extend transversely or diametrically of their respectivesections 10 and 11, and are located to be in facing relation with eachother when the sections are assembled, thereby combining t0 define atransverse thru passageway, for a purpose appearing presently. It willbe observed that the grooves 38 and 39 are each of generally rectangularcrosssectional configuration.

The frontpiece or disc 32 is fixed to the front end of section andarranged relative thereto so as to be concentnc with the cylinderdefined by the combined sections 10 and 11. Thus, the frontpiece 32overles the front ends of both sections 10 and 11, when the sections areassembled. In order to properly locate the frontpiece 32 and front endof section 11, there are advantageously provided interfitting formationson the frontpiece and latter section. Specifically, the frontpece 32 isprovided on its rear side with a radially inwardly extending groove 40.In particular, the groove 40 extends from a location adjacent to andspaced from the slot 33 radially outward generally normal to the innersurface of section 10 and opens at its enter end. A complementary,radially extending lug 41 is formed on the front end of the section 11for snug conforming engagement in the groove 40.

At the rear ends of the sections 10 and 11 there are provided additionalinterfitting locating formations, section 10 being formed with tonguemeans 42 projecting generally normal to the inner surface 15 and formedwith a generally radially extending cutout 43 to bifurcate the tonguemeans 42 into a pair of generally chordally extend ing tongues 44 and45. The tongue means 42 is located just rearward of the groove 38.

The rearward end of the section 11 is formed with a generally U-shapedcutout 46 which opens forwardly into the adjacent groove 39, and isconfigured t0 snugly receive the tongues 44 and 45. Further, the innerend of the cutout 46 may be recessed, as at 4'], in alignment with anddefining a continuation of the eut-away portion 43 between tongues 44and 45.

The external, semicylindrical surfaces 12 and 13 et sections 10 and 11are each provided with an opening or hole, as at 50 and 51,respectively, see FIGURE 4. The holes or openings 50 and 51 are locatedin diametrical alignment with each other, and with the grooves 38 and39, being spaced angularly approximately ninety degrees from thegrooves.

With the plug sections 10 and 11 in their facing engagement, asillustrated in FIGURES 46, and the tumb- 1er pins properly inserted, theassembly may be engaged rearward into the cylindrical opening of aconventional housing 59. The rearward regions of the sections 10 and 11,including the grooves 38 and 39, and holes 50 and 51, extend rearwardlybeyond the housing 52. An operating member -or bar 52, having adjacentto one end a thru hole 53, all of which may be conventional, is insertedforwardly through the diametral opening 43 and into the generallyrectangular thru passageway defined by the complementary grooves 38 and39.

A retainer clip 54 is provided, which may include a generallysemicircular portion 55 having radially inwardly projecting tangs 56 and57 at its opposite ends. Medially of the semicircular portion 55, theremay extend therefrom a radially inward extension or tongue 58. Theretainer clip 54 may be stamped from suitable sheet material, so thatthe tongue 58 is of generally rectangular cross-sectional configuration.In assembly, the tongue 58 is engaged in the passageway 38, 39, and thearcuate portion 55 engages about both sections 10 and 11 to insert tangs56 and 57 in respective holes 50 and 51, as by resilient snap engagementtheren. By this assembly pro. cedure, the rectangular cross-sectionaltongue 58 is conformably received in the rectangular cross-sectionalpassageway 38, 39, and engages through the circular hole 53 of bar 52,so that the bar is free for limited rotation about the tongue, and isaxially rotated upon rotation et the tongue and clip 54 with theassembled sections 10 and 11.

From the foregoing, it is seen that the present inventien provides ahighly improved lock-plug structure which fully accomplishes itsintended objects and is well adapted to meet practical conditions ofmanufacture and use.

What is claimed is:

1. A lock plug molded entirely of plastic material and comprising a pairof sections disposed in facng relation with their nonfacing surfacescombining t0 define a cylinder, a disc-like face piece fixedly securedto one of said sections at one end thereof concentrc with and of a diameter greater than said cylinder having its inner surface overlying theadjacent end of the other of said sections, interfitting locatingformations on said inner surface of said face piece and on said othersection, said face piece having a key slot therethrough, and additionalinterfitting locating formations on said sections remote from said facepiece, whereby said cylinder is insertable into a bore with said facepiece extending beyond the bore t0 define a stop.

2. A lock plug according to claim I, said sections each being ofgenerally semicylindrical configuration, and the facing surfaces of saidsections being formed with complementary recesses com bining to define akeyway communicating with said slot and a plurality of tumb1er re cessescommunicating with said keyway.

3. A lock plug according to claim 2, said face piece being integral withsaid one section.

4. A lock plug fabricated entirely of molded plastic and comprising apair of semicylindrical sections arranged in facing relation with theirouter surfaces defining a cylinder, the inner surfaces being formedalong the lower longitudinal edges with longitudinally extending facinggrooves combining to define a keyway, the inner surfaces being furtherformed with a plurality of generally parallel spaced semicylindricalrecesses extending transversely from said grooves through the upperedges of said inner surfaces, the recesses of respective inner surfacesbeing arranged opposite each other t0 define cylindricalpin-and-tumbler-receiving passageways, a disc- 1ike endpiece fixedlysecured to one end of one of said sections and overlying one end of theother section concentric with said cylinder, said endpiece having a keyslot in alignment with said keyway, and interfitting locations formed onsaid sections at the other end thereof, said sections each being formedon its inner surface with an open-ended transversely extending groove ofgenerally rectangnlar configuration adjacent to and spaced inward fromits other end, said sections each being formed on its outer surface withan opening extending inwardly toward and terminating short of theadjacent transverse groove, whereby a spring clip having a medialextension is adapted to be arranged partially about said sectionsengaged in said enter-surface openings with its medial extension engagedthrough said transverse grooves.

5. A lock plug according to claim 4, said interfitting locatingformations comprising tongue means on one of said sections, the other ofsaid sections being cut away to conformably receive said tongue means.

6. A lock plug according to claim 5, said tongue means being bifurcatedto receive therethrough an operating bar.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 234,630 11/1880 Towne 70-375799,666 9/1905 O1eschak 70364 1,095,500 5/1914 Hansen 70-375 X 3,058,33610/1962 Tocchetto 70364 3,186,199 6/1965 Schwartz 70-375 X MARVIN A.CHAMPION, Primary Examiner.

P. TEITELBAUM, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R.

